


Machinations

by newsbypostcard



Series: Precipice [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-09
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-14 10:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/835763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newsbypostcard/pseuds/newsbypostcard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene from ST:ID: Scotty's POV. Why call Spock and not Bones when Kirk stumbled back from the warp core? <em>But Scotty also knew, as he watched Jim struggle in and out of consciousness on the other side of the radiation door, that he was not prepared to let the Captain die alone. </em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Machinations

Scotty liked to watch machines in motion. He liked the way parts moved together, each performing its own task but each nonetheless contributing to something larger. He liked watching the engines move together perhaps a bit too much, at times, even; when a way to improve upon its operation occured to him, he could watch the engine's machinations for hours, each part from all kinds of different angles, building models in his head for new parts, maximizing efficiency. McCoy scolded him for working _too_ hard every time he came into sickbay with a burn or a sprain -- which, admittedly, was twice a week on average. And there was that one time he’d been treated to a Bones-Kirk double-whammy lecture when he’d passed out from exhaustion after working so hard on an upgrade he’d forgotten to eat or sleep for 38 hours. Admittedly, it was possible he had a bit of a problem there. 

He’d brushed off Bones’ angry comments about health and well-being, though, his damnit-mans and his you-can’t-do-your-job-from-sickbays -- but he’d sure heard Kirk’s comments about being a key part of the Enterprise’s operations. He’d promised to stick to the shift schedule (mostly) after that. After all, he liked the Enterprise for the same reason that he liked machines: everyone plays a part. Everyone’s part of the crew. Scotty liked to watch the crew in motion as much as he did any engine: to get to know their relationships, to understand how they meshed together, to understand how personnel formed their own sort of engine in running this beautiful ship.

That’s why, when he woke up groaning and cursing Jim Kirk’s name only to see him stumble headfirst into the door to the warp core, Scotty was at first frantic to get to him. He thought dully that if he could just get to Kirk, get him out, prevent him from dying and leaving the crew without its captain, then the Enterprise didn’t have to suffer the loss of another of its most important components. 

But as he shouted at the captain and stared in immobile horror as Kirk slid heavily down onto the floor gasping for breath, Scotty started to take more detailed stock of his surroundings. He could feel the thrusters powered on underneath him; devices around him were blinking feebly. If the power was back, thought Scotty, then Kirk’s exposure had been total. There was no chance of his survival.

“Captain,” Scotty said again, more quietly. This time Kirk was responsive; with what seemed to require tremendous effort, he opened his eyes and turned his head against the wall until he could see Scotty.

“Are the thrusters working, Mister Scott?” he asked, rasping.

“They are indeed, Captain,” Scotty replied evenly.

“Is the Enterprise going to make it?”

Scotty opened his mouth, closed it, and tried again. “She just might yet.”

Kirk’s relief, too, appeared feeble.

“I,” Scotty began, feeling pre-emptive loss settle into his limbs. “I should call for someone. The doctor.”

“No,” Kirk replied with a harsh movement. “Not Bones.”

“Captain—”

“Scotty, you call for Bones, he’ll leave sickbay, he’ll come here, and he’ll…” Kirk trailed off, his legs unfurling and thudding heavily against the floor. But he didn’t need to finish the thought. Scotty, who’d watched the crew so closely for the last couple of years aboard the Enterprise, knew without a shadow of a doubt that Bones McCoy would not let a little thing like certain death prevent him from trying to save Jim’s life. He’d flood the chamber with radiation just to get Jim out without a second thought. And the Enterprise would lose the both of them in the attempt.

But Scotty also knew, as he watched Jim struggle in and out of consciousness on the other side of the radiation door, that he was not prepared to let the Captain die alone. And he was a poor substitute for the only other being on the ship whose judgment Jim trusted besides his own.

By the time the Enterprise shuddered to a halt and his restraints withdrew automatically back into his chair, Scotty paused only momentarily, finger over the comm button, before hailing the Bridge.


End file.
